I Will Never Be Your Friend
by aiupenn
Summary: Akuatsu drabbles. 1) Akugawa loses something. 2) Atsushi finds a cat. 3) Akutagawa gets sick. 4) Sharing a blanket. 5) Akutagawa gets jealous. 6) Atsushi listens to Akutagawa's breathing. 7) Jacket sharing. 8) Atsushi gets sick.
1. I Will Never Be Your Friend

"Are we… friends, Akutagawa?"

He was hardly prepared for such a question from Atsushi. They were sitting on the rubbled ground, waiting for a pick up from… someone from the scene of the battle. Their mission hadn't gone very well. Akutagawa looked a mess and Atsushi looked worse. Each had taken their fair share of beatings fighting the bomber (a little unexpected as he wasn't supposed to have an ability), and Akutagawa had a feeling that was why the man-tiger had brought it up. It was a hard battle and Atsushi should have died in it. The only reason he hadn't was because Akutagawa was there.

Shock of all shocks, the bomber's ability had to do with explosions. Any form of rock he touched would become explosive, even the ground if he wished it. It took them a while to figure that out though.

Akutagawa had barely noticed the tiny pebble in the bomber's hand, but the moment he aimed it right for Atsushi's head, panic erupted in his chest. That pebble was going to do some damage, he knew, so he used Rashomon to protect him.

The pebble somehow managed to throw him back and blow that bit of Rashomon to smithereens. But, it dampened the blow more than enough to save Atsushi's life.

So he guessed that's what Atsushi was talking about now. Akutagawa had hated him from the start, and even though now they were partners forming Shin Soukoku, he knew Atsushi felt that that partnership was fragile. He wasn't surprised that left Atsushi wondering why. Why save him?

But Akatagawa had an answer through his lips the moment the surprise wore off. It wasn't an answer he had to think about because it was more than obvious to him. "No," he said.

He was not Atsushi's friend. He didn't feel that way in the least.

What he did feel for him… well, that was a mess he hadn't sorted out himself.

"Then…" the man-tiger sounded so lost, confusion leaking into every sound, "Why did you save me?"

Akutagawa's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he looked off into he distance. Of course he would ask that. He could tell that Atsushi didn't feel like he was worth saving.

"You lost…" Atsushi trailed off, staring at the spot his arm should have been, "Does your arm… shoulder hurt?"

"No."

"Yasano will—"

"I know."

It's strange to Akutagawa that the fact he lost his arm while protecting Atsushi was the least important part of it all. He didn't care because he was okay. For some reason, the fact that the man-tiger was safe was more than enough.

How strange…

"I saved you because I wanted to," was what he finally managed to tell him in explanation. How Atsushi would take such an answer he didn't know, but he wasn't sure he would take it well. It was a more emotional answer than Akutagawa would generally care for. "Because keeping you alive is…" important to me, he finished in his head although he couldn't get himself to say it out loud.


	2. A Desire to Protect

Akutagawa almost couldn't believe this was happening.

Well, he could. This was the man-tiger after all. He was ridiculous in most things and even on a stake-out, this was no exception. More the facial expressions and sounds he was making towards the tiny creature was what had him dumbfounded.

He kept having to cover his mouth from pure second-hand embarrassment. How one could make such a fool of himself at the expense of a simple kitten was beyond his understanding.

"Look at that precious little face," Atsushi cooed to the tiny silver thing. He cupped his hand around its head and rubbed gently at it's ear, "How could anyone say 'no' to that pretty face?"

He fed it tiny scraps of their dinner while Akutagawa continued to look on in either horror or enchantment. Even he was unsure which emotion it was. "What are you doing?" his voice was laced with disgust.

Atushsi looks up with, a dazed look in his eyes like he's still lost in the cuteness of the little kitten. "You're keeping an eye right? And this poor little kitty is out all by himself… There's no problem in keeping him company." A smile plays on Atsushi's lips for a moment and an emotion rather like pity flashes in his eyes. He goes back to entertaining the cat.

'Alone'… 'Keep him company'… Akutagawa understood for a moment why Atsushi was so entertained. Lonely and abandoned. Did he truly identify with a cat?

"Yeah, you like the tuna, don't you?" Atushsi says in a childish voice, eyes sparkling as he watches the kitten take the food from him.

Akutagawa has to cover his mouth again and avert his eyes as a flurry of feeling hits him square in the chest. I… want to protect that face… he thought before he could get that feeling in check.

He flushed completely and had to turn away to scan the horizon. He's embarrassed by his own line of thinking. 'Protect him'? What is he thinking. The man-tiger was his enemy, someone he needed to kill…

But still, the thought lingered as he turned to look at Atsushi once more. He wanted to protect that smile and that gleam in his eyes. He wanted to protect Atsushi and the joy in him right there in that moment.

Akutagawa had to grab at the ruffles on his chest and tug at them, trying to calm the warm feelings in his heart. But they didn't leave, in fact they only got worse as Atsushi turns to look at him.

"Is something wrong?" Atsushi asks, looking more perplexed or angered than concerned.

Akutagawa looked down so he didn't have to match his gaze. "No."


	3. A Sorry State of Affairs (Side A)

"Were you always this heavy, Akutagawa?" Atsushi grumbles as he lays the man down on the couch in his apartment. It's a raggedy old thing, although that's to be expected from Atsushi. He wouldn't be the type to spend lavishly on such a thing. He's surprised he even has a couch, to be honest... If he was to be truthful, he'd have to say that it feels abnormally comfortable and Akutagawa wants nothing more than to snuggle into it and fall alseep to forget about the sore throat and nausea that has invaded him.

He, of course, offers no reply in return as he covers his eyes with his arm, partially from embarrassment that he had to be dragged all the way here by the man-tiger and partially because of the headache that pounds just behind them.

"Let me go get Yasano then," the man-tiger lets out a sigh, "I don't think she needs to 'treat' you, but she should know enough about illnesses..."

Akutagawa grabs at his arm and stops him from moving. He peaks one eye out from behind his sleeve and gives Atsushi a glare. The light-haired man freezes for a moment before squirming his arm out of his grasp. "You passed out twice, Akutagawa. What else do you expect me to do?"

This only earned him a stronger death glare from the man on the couch. He did not pass out. He just... felt a little lightheaded after the chase was all. If he stumbled and fell it was only because a stone had gotten in his way surely. They'd caught the perpetrator anyways. It hardly mattered now. All he wanted was to be home alone, waiting for this stupid sickness to pass by. But Atsushi had insisted on following him at least part of the way home, which means he was there when he finally kind of... almost falling into traffic.

Perhaps... that did count as passing out.

Atsushi lets out a heavy sigh and starts rustling around his home. "You could have just told me your address. Then I could have dropped you off there and neither of us would have to deal with this."

Akutagawa let out something like a scoff, although it was far more hoarse and crackly than he would have cared. As if he wanted his arch-nemesis to know where he lived. That would never happen as long as he had breath.

A hand gently pushed at his arm to get him to move it. "I hope you like green tea," Atsushi says, then slips his hand under Akutagawa's head to tilt it upwards.

His fingers are cold, but the skin Atsushi touches immediately turns to fire. Akutagawa tries to calmly convinces himself it's because of the fever he clearly has, but he still moves his arm awkwardly to jerk the hand away. His head slams agains the armrest hard enough to make him see stars. Is he really unable to hold himself up? When was the last time he was this sick?

Atsushi gives him a look somewhere between exasperation and concern. "This will be over a lot quicker for both of us if you just calm down. I'm not trying to kill you."

Autagawa wants to say that his racing heartbeat says otherwise, but he keeps his mouth shut as Atsushi tries once more to prop his head up. He doesn't fight him this time. The tea goes down easy, although bitter. Once it's all gone, Atsushi sets it aside and stands once more. Akutagawa has to hold in a whine he wasn't expecting when his warmth leaves his side. As strange of a feeling as it was to him, he didn't want Atsushi to go. He wanted him to stay by his side for a bit longer. It made it all... slightly less miserable. He's starting to feel a bit hazy. It's pretty obvious all logic he normally has is starting to go. What a sorry state of affairs he's in...

In his altered state, he doesn't have a chance to hold back his yelp of surprise when a cold wet rag is put on his forehead. Atsushi seems just as taken-aback as Akutagawa is by the noise. Akutagawa just shivers.

"Are you cold?"

He, of course, doesn't answer the question. Why in the world would he admit that to the man-tiger?

All the same, Atsushi leaves and comes back with a nice fluffy comforter and works his best to tuck Akutagawa in to it. "Um... That's kind of all I know to do when someone's sick..." he admits in a somewhat quiet voice, "You should probably just... sleep now."

Akutagawa hears him stand once again and the instinct he so often tries hard to avoid peeks it's way out before he can stop it. His arm darts out from under the covers and grabs for Atsushi's sleeve, tugging him back closer. D-don't leave... he can't manage to say it out loud in his sorry state. He's already regretting what he's done, but it's too late now so he just lets the hazy side of himself take over. His grip on Atsushi's sleeve gets tighter and slowly, Atsushi comes closer and sits back down. He carefully tucks Akutagawa back in before stroking a small bit of his hair. His voice is sweet, if a bit confused, "It's okay. I won't go anywhere if you don't want me to."


	4. Most Inopportune

Akutagawa wasn't certain who he was expecting when someone knocked on his door, but Atsushi was clearly not one of them. His cry of shock was through his lips before he could control them. "Man-tiger?"

Atsushi was just as surprised and embarrassed by this situation as Akutagawa was if the color of his cheeks were anything to go by. Then again, it could just be the winter weather. "Um... Hello."

Thankfully, Akutagawa was able to regain his composure very quickly. He shut the door in his face.

Almost immediately, Atsushi started banging on the door while Akutagawa huddled behind it.

"Hey! Look, open up!" he heard the other man heave out a heavy sigh, "I don't want to be here either! Dazai just dropped me off and I don't know how to get back..."

Of course Dazai gave up his location. He expected nothing less from such a cruel man. Leading the one person he least wanted to see on such an awful winter day right to his doorstep. Akutagawa's heart was all panicky and he could swear he could feel his soul leaving his body. He'd just barely come to the conclusion that what he felt for Atsushi wasn't exactly friendship two days before. This was far from opportune timing.

"Akutagawa, it's freezing out here..."

Of course it fucking was. Akutagawa held in another groan. It's got to be -10°C outside. Today of all days. Today of all days...

He couldn't resist. He opened the door.

"Heating's down," he told him, as he stepped away from the entrance hall and disappeared right back around the corner into his room, "Not any warmer in here."

He hears Atsushi step inside and slip off his shoes. He huddles down deep into the blanket, and votes to ignore him for however long he's here until the ADA comes and picks him up. He sure as hell ain't walking him back. His brain is coming up with far to many frightening scenarios for such situations. What if they're hands get cold? Will Atsushi suggest holding hands? Or what if Atsushi ends up needing a scarf and he only has the one? Are they supposed to share? How about it starts snowing and they have to go get hot chocolate together to get out of the weather? He'll have to talk to him!

His heartbeat speeds up exponentially and he buries his head under the comforter. Terrifying. All those situations sound absolutely terrifying...

"Haven't you got another blanket?" Atsushi asks as he kneels down to be eye-level with Akutagawa's face peeking out from behind the comforter. Akutagawa nearly jumps away on instinct.

"No," he said, his face heating up, "You should have brought a coat."

The light-haired man is visibly shivering and he wraps his arms around himself. He stands, though, clearly not willing to argue.

Akutagawa feels something like pity (but clearly not that because that's weakness) and before he can truly process that consequences of his actions he opens up one arm to let the man-tiger in.

Atsushi is beaming at him with a face Akutagawa never thought he'd be blessed enough to see directed towards such a gloomy individual and settles down next to the him. "Thank you! Dazai took my coat..." He cuddles closer to Akutagawa than he had really bargained for and wrapped the blanket around himself.

Perhaps walking him back to the ADA was a better plan after all. This was hardly any less of a terrifying situation. His heart feels like it might beat right out of his chest.

Then again, this isn't really all that scary. It's… rather nice he has to admit. Warmth floods his chest as their shoulders nudge and Atsushi starts leaning on him. Sure his heartbeat is racing, but it's hardly unpleasant. He feels relaxed and safe and comfortable… perhaps Atsushi wouldn't mind if he leaned on him a bit more and fell asleep on his shoulder.

He started, causing the other man to jump. What on Earth was he thinking? He's is suddenly intensely grateful it's cold enough he can excuse his rosy cheeks on the awful weather.


	5. Lost in Translation

"What did she say?" Atsushi asked.

"She says that she doesn't recognize him," Akutagawa says, motioning to the photo Atsushi's shoving in her face, "Although that should be obvious. She's clearly a tourist."

Atsushi bristles a bit, pulling the photo down, "Well someone has to have seen him! Pardon me for asking."

Akutagawa has to hold in another sigh. It's been a long day of talking to people, which is far from his favorite pastime. He felt almost dead, which is saying something because he'd done far more physically demanding things than this and he rarely felt this tired. People were exhausting…

The tourist suddenly tapped his shoulder. Akutagawa winced involuntarily at the contact, but turned to face her again all the same.

She motioned to Atsushi's hair and smiled, "Tell him his hair's cute," she waved to the both of them and turned away to run into a shop.

This rubbed Akutagawa the wrong way immediately, although he could not even begin to fathom why. He looked to the man next to him–who was staring expectantly–and studied his hair. Is it because he felt his hair was stupid? No… He found it quite adorable actually. How about just the fact that Atsushi got complimented instead of him… That wasn't it either. He didn't feel as if he wanted compliments from tourists off the street.

When Akutagawa gave no translation, Atsushi finally spoke up, "What'd she say?"

Without missing a beat, Akutagawa started walking and said, "She says your hair looks dumb."

He hears Atsushi stumble behind. "What? Really?! How could she say that when you're standing right next to me?"

What's that supposed to mean? Akutagawa holds in his protest as they stop at the next person.

He takes the lead again, but he keeps losing focus on the conversation. For one, he's still not entirely certain why he lied to Atsushi. Why did someone else complimenting his hair bother him so much? For another, the statement is clearly bothering his partner as he keeps rubbing that awkwardly long lock of hair between his fingers. Guilt stabs Akutagawa directly in the gut.

Once the person confirms that he hasn't seen anyone that looks like the photo either (Akutagawa's starting to become convinced Dazai may have sent them on a fool's errand), Akutagawa smacks Atsushi's hand away from his hair as lightly as he can manage.

"Stop that," he says, walking away again.

Atsushi follows suit, "Stop what?"

Akutagawa sighs, He knows I'm not that stupid. "Stop playing with your hair. It looks fine."

He's a little concerned when Atsushi doesn't follow the statement up with anything and when he looks back at the man-tiger, he's still fiddling with his hair.

Akutagawa huffs and turns back towards him, snatching his hand away once more. "You're hair's cute, now just keep your mind on the task at hand."

He has started walking again before what he's said really catches up to him.

"My hair's cute?" Atsushi grins, his confidence clearly flooding back.

Oh God. Forget I said that… Akutagawa silently begs him. He rushes to cover up his mouth in his embarrassment as heat floods his cheeks. He hated it when those little thoughts slipped out.

"I said nothing of the sort. Keep moving, Jinko."


	6. Breathe

"Man-tiger, if you have something to say, just say it."

Atsushi's looking Akutagawa up and down with a strange expression on his face. The latter feels quite a bit like a bug under a microscope, a feeling he does not enjoy.

Atsushi had been behaving strangely since the fight ended, keeping an eye on Akutagawa as if he might try to run away. After the police had picked up the ability-user they'd captured, he thought perhaps he could just go home and forget about it, but for some reason Atsushi had asked him to stick around. They sat at the edge of the concrete now, their legs dangling over the water and Atsushi hadn't said a word, only continued to stare.

His partner winced at the tone of his voice, but Akutagawa didn't regret it. There was no reason for him to just stare. Atsushi bit his lip as if considering something very important. His eyes trailed to look over at the water before he finally got to the point, avoiding Akutagawa's eye contact. If he was honest, the dark-haired man's heart was starting to race a bit. What's with his partner's behavior? He's behaving like he has something embarrassing to admit.

"So... um... are you okay?"

Akutagawa just blinks at the question, coming out of nowhere as it did. Now it was his turn to stare at Atsushi. "Yes," he said firmly.

Atsushi sighs, obviously annoyed at himself. He leans forward and clasps his hands together. "No, I mean... Your coughing? It's... worrying me..."

His concern for him was enough to make Akutagawa embarrassed immediately. Was he really just worried about that? And he acted so embarrassed about it. God, he's cute. "It's called pleurisy."

Atsushi looks shocked he'd even answered, turning to look his partner in the eyes. "Pleurisy? What... does that mean?"

Akutagawa was surprised by his own patience. "The tissues of my lungs are swollen in such a way that they rub at my chest, making it hurt to breathe. Sometimes it makes me cough." Admitting this to anyone else would be admitting weakness, but with Atsushi it was just casual conversation. If they were to work together, Atsushi need to know something like this he supposed.

"It hurts you to breathe?" Atsushi's voice is laced with concern, which seems strange.

"Yes," Akutagawa says, "Is that a problem?"

"I mean... yeah. You need to breathe to live," Atsushi mutters, shaking his head as if exasperated by his behavior.

"It's... really not a concern," Akutagawa feels strange, heat rising to his face. His concern surprises him. A few members of the Port Mafia knew of his predicament, but had only expressed mild interest in it once they knew it wouldn't affect his work. If he could still work just as hard as before, it didn't matter if his breathing hurt...

Atsushi is silent for quite a while. "Does you're breathing get all raspy, too?"

"Yes."

"Can I... listen?"

"Yes." His answer is out of Akutagawa's mouth before he can consider the consequences, or even what he really meant. For some reason, when he said 'listen', he imagined he'd simply ask him to breath deeper. Instead, Atsushi leans over and puts his ear to Akutagawa's chest.

It takes all of Akutagawa's willpower not to completely panic and instead think about breathing normally. It's very difficult, though, when Atsushi's comforting warmth and weight is on his chest, listening intently and giving his partner his undivided, concerned attention. Atsushi looks so serious, his face twisting into a look of discomfort every time Akutagawa takes a breath. Seeing Atsushi like that...

The other man can almost certainly hear his heartbeat by now because it's pounding in Akutagawa's ears. He can't believe Atsushi's so close and the impulse to lean down to plant a kiss on his forehead is surprisingly strong.

Before he can, though, Atsushi's face suddenly turns panicked and he sits up with such a jolt, he jams the top of his skull into Akutagawa's jaw. He grabs at his head immediately, but still stumbles to his feet, eyes squinted shut in pain. Akutagawa rubs his jaw almost absent-mindedly, partially to hide how much it hurt, but also because it hurt a lot less since with how flustered he is.

"I-I'm sorry! I just remembered that I-the agency needs me. Or something, I just..." Atsushi's basically gone by now, running down the street, hand still on his head, "Take care of that breathing and," he stops and cups his hands around his mouth, "Make sure you tell me if you need a break, okay!"

Akutagawa sits still for quite a while longer, a little stumped by the whole exchange and his heart still racing unreasonably fast. A slight smile grows on his face and he can't help but laugh. Fucking adorable.


	7. Pity

"It's cold..." Atsushi whines, hugging Rashomon around himself.

Akutagawa's eyes narrow at the other man, hardly believing his childness. "That's my jacket," he says stubbornly.

Atsushi lets out a long sigh, but clearly doesn't loosen his grip on Akutagawa's prized possession. He has this look on his face, a bit like a pout but it's ruined by all the miserable rain sticking to his face. The uneven ends of hair are sticking up all over the place and his eyes are comically wide. If he stuck his bottom lip out any farther, Akutagawa would have thought he was looking for a kiss. If Atsushi thought this was convincing face...

He was right.

Akutagawa covers his mouth as he coughs, half out of habit, half because he's trying to hide the fluttering in his stomach. All the same, once he's recovered he grabs onto the sleeve of the jacket. "Hand it over, man-tiger."

His partner hugs himself tighter. "I hate the rain," he says in a whiny tone. Akutagawa has to resist the urge to let out a chuckle. How similar he was to a cat was occasionally terrifying.

"Man-tiger," his voice is a well-practiced low and threatening growl. As... cute (there, he'd said it) as the other man was, Rashomon was something much more to him. It's his life-line and barrier from the rest of the world so it doesn't all seem so daunting. He'd given it up this time only because that idiot Dazai-saying it would be some sort of bonding experience-grabbed his hand and tugged him away from the action. Rashomon was useless in his hands, thus he gave it to his partner where something could be done with it. Letting him keep it longer than he already had was hardly an option. There was a weird empty spot in Akutagawa's chest when he couldn't feel it's weight on his shoulders.

For a split second, Akutagawa could swear Atsushi looked frightened by the dark-haired boy's tone of voice. It quickly shifted from scared to defeated and he took the coat off his shoulders. Akutagawa snatched it from his hands more roughly than he meant to.

"My shirt's gonna get all wet..." Atsushi said.

Akutagawa shrugged as he put his arms through his sleeves. "You're drenched already." He started walking towards his apartment.

The sound of Atsushi's clumsy footsteps followed close behind. "Wait!"

The sound of his partner's voice was almost drowned out by the howling of a truck passing on the road beside them. Akutagawa flinched away as splashes of water hit his cheek from a puddle the tires plowed through. Atsushi let out a somewhat panicked yelp. He turned to look at the man-tiger, eyebrow raised.

Atsushi was more dripping wet than before, his arms raised a bit as he stared down in horror at his sopping wet form. "Fuck!"

Akutagawa found it very hard not to burst out laughing from the shock. Not only did the poor cat look like he'd been murdered, but the harsh language was so unlike him.

Before he really registered what he'd decided on what he was going to do, he was at his partner's side, wrapping Rashomon around his shoulders.

Atsushi tensed for a moment, before turning his head to stare at Akutagawa. His eyes said something, but Akutagawa had a hard time reading it. Perhaps an unspoken 'thank you' or simply shock from the gesture.

But he didn't say anything of the sort and he grabbed the collar and pulled it closer to him. "This is just as wet..."

Akutagawa's eyes narrowed. "I'll take it back if you don't want it."

"I didn't say that!" Atsushi said, taking several steps forward. Akutagawa couldn't hold back a smile.


	8. A Sorry State of Affairs (Side B)

"I'd say... it'll be about three days," Yosano says. She looks completely unfazed while she peels off her gloves and steps away from Atsushi's bedside.

Akutagwa, in the other hand, feels a sharp prick of panic in his chest. "Before he dies?"

His completely honest question is met with a peel of laughter from the doctor. "God, no!" she looks at him with a twinkle in her eye, "Where does your pessimism come from, kid?"

Akutagwa blinks, forcing down his embarrassment as the panic subsides.

"He's got a cold, Ryunosuke. He'll be back to work in three days."

Akutagawa lets his gaze drift from her down to his unconscious partner. It certainly seems like a lot more than a cold. Atsushi was sweating profusely under layers of blankets and yet he was shivering on his futon. If he was awake, it wasn't obvious, as his eyes keep flitting around restlessly under his eyelids. From time to time, they'll open ever so slightly to show a bloodshot sclera. The look of it made Akutagawa a little sick to his stomach.

"That's too long..." is all he says to Yosano, however.

"Too bad," she says, "If you want to try to get him up and walking, be my guest. But he'll be absolutely useless. Get in a fight and you might actually need Thou Shalt Not Die."

She picks up her purse and slings it over her shoulder with a flick of her hair. "You'd better stay here, Ryunosuke. He needs plenty of water and he's hardly able to get up and get a glass himself at this rate."

Akutagawa wants to protest and he knows he should for appearances sake, but not a single part of him would mean it so his tongue refuses to say it. The truth was, he was happy to stay. He was worried.

Yosano hardly seems to notice his silence as she's already part way out the door. "Ta-ta!" she says. The door closes behind her.

For a moment, Akutagawa just stares at Atsushi, uncertain what to do. After a long pause, he kneels down next to him and takes his hand. It's a completely selfish move. It doesn't help his sick partner in any way, but he wants to do it. Even though Yosano says it's just a cold, it feels like Atsushi is slipping away from him. Holding his hand reminds him that he's still there. HIs thumb absent-mindedly rubs the white-haired man's clammy skin.

He reaches up to feel Atsushi's forehead, only to recoil from the heat. "Water..." he mutters to himself.

It takes him a couple minutes to find a cup and rag in this apartment, but he does it eventually. By the time he's back at Atsushi's side, his bloodshot eyes are open slightly, staring at him.

Akutagawa's heart leaps into his throat as he realizes he might have been awake earlier and hiding it. If he was, he wondered how he would take the hand-holding. That teetered dangerously on the edge of "platonic" and "romantic" and having that sort of discussion when Atsushi was barely lucid...

Neither of them say anything as Akutagawa takes the cold wet rag. He brushes back the man's bangs and places the rag down lightly, but Atsushi hisses as a shiver goes through his body.

"It's cold..." The words are a bit difficult to make out. Atsushi's voice is thick and heavy, probably because of all the snot in his throat.

"Sit up. Yosano says you should drink something."

Atsushi sniffs and doesn't move for a moment. He eventually gets around to shoving himself up into a sitting position, but he's shaking like a leaf. Akutagawa guides the cup to his partner's trembling hands. As soon as Atsushi's fingers wrap around it, some of it sloshes over the edge. Akutagawa helps him steady his grip by placing his own hands over Atsushi's. He keeps them there—trying his best to keep it as still as possible—as Atsushi tips the contents into his mouth.

He seems grateful for the water as he downs the entire cup faster than Akutagawa expected. The black-haired man puts sets the cup aside.

"I don't feel good..." Atsushi says.

"You've got a cold," Akutagawa replies.

"Why are you here?"

Akutagawa swallows. "You've got a cold," he repeats.

"Oh..."

Atsushi slowly leans forward and rests his forehead at the top of Akutagawa's collarbone. "That was hard... I'm gonna stay here a minute."

It's impossible to force the blush away from his face and it only deepens as Atsushi wraps his arms around Akutagawa's waist. He lets out a little sick, miserable groan. "You're even more comfortable than I imagined."

And there goes Akutagawa's heart rate, racing down the streets of Yokohama. He had no sort of response to that, so instead he just gently nudged his body a little closer. "I'll, um... take care of you, okay?" he says after a long silence.

Atsushi hums happily.


End file.
